Professor Sue Pavitt

Profile

Overview: My career is characterised by research that demonstrates excellence, innovation and transformational leadership. I have successfully delivered several novel and progressive initiatives that have left legacies of research infrastructure and robust systems heralded as demonstrating strategic world-class leadership at the cutting-edge of both molecular genetics (establishment of UCSF /Stanford Human Genome Centre, USA) and more recently applied health research (Founding Director TayRen / EastRen – the premier Scottish Primary Care Research Network; Founding Director of the Comprehensive Health Research Division, Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), University of Leeds), Director Dental Translational & Clinical Research Unit(DenTCRU). In the process, I have gained a wide breadth of knowledge and a valuable skill base to deliver large-scale innovation programmes. Furthermore I am proficient in establishing novel research cultures that are underpinned by robust infrastructures and strategic business plans that have resulted in a strong legacy of programmes, some are running in excess of 20 years from inception. These programmes have spanned genomic analysis, multidisciplinary research networks and clinical trials that incorporate translational and mechanistic evaluations across the key translational gaps identified  i.e. from i) basic biological sciences to applied health research and ii) clinical research to NHS implementation (including service delivery and organisation). To lead such programmes, I have found that both my early laboratory career in human genetics and the last 20 years as an Applied Health Research methodologist afford a huge advantage, as I am able to comprehend the science, language, methodologies and processes to deliver translational research that necessitates working across basic and clinical sciences. My inherent skill is transformational leadership and building effective interdisciplinary networks.  My inclusive team approach and good communication has fared me well creating a culture that is fair, where all are valued and contributions acknowledged.

My experience has been highly relevant and valuable to facilitate DenTCRU in catalysing growth of interdisciplinary research within Yorkshire & Humber, nationally and internationally. I have built on direct experience of being a Divisional Director’s at the Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Leeds a successful and large CTU in the UK. I have a substantial portfolio of clinical trials spanning several medical specialities that helps forge contacts for our strategy around oral health implications on systemic health 2Putting the mouth back in the body”. These include, cardiovascular, multiple sclerosis (MS), neurodegeneration, MSK, infertility, surgery, cancer, dentistry, imaging and antimicrobial stewardship to tackle antimicrobial resistance. My methodology spans clinical trial design and evaluation including multi-arm repurposed drug trial, behavioural change complex interventions, diagnostics and more recently I am playing a leadership role in developing MS-ACT an efficient adaptive clinical trials platform for MS. Through my Director’s role of the DenTCRU, I have more recently been operationalising a hub and spoke model to external CTUs. This has brought experience or working with several CTUs which bring a deeper knowledge transfer opportunity than might have been afforded if my trials experience was solely from one CTU. Furthermore my work with Prof Tom Walley (NIHR Director) on the NIHR CTU Standing Advisory Committee generates further insights to the varying management approaches of the CTUs at a National level. Collectively this has equipped me with the skills, aptitude and vision to evolve DenTCRU and make new opportunities for strategic growth such as embracing the opportunity to be a key player in the Leeds NIHR CRF and realising DenTCRU as an integral hub that attracts much interest from NIHR and other stakeholders.

My early career in human molecular genetics research: In 1986 I graduated with a PhD in Human Cancer Genetics from the Galton Laboratory, University College London. I was awarded an Imperial Cancer Research Fund Post-Doctoral Fellowship to work with Prof Sir Walter Bodmer, FRS, one of the world's leading geneticists. Our work resulted in the first physical mapping of a colorectal cancer gene to a human chromosome (described in two Nature citation classic papers and resulted in my presenting a Royal Society Lecture). I was awarded further funding (EMBO and NATO/SERC Post-doctoral Research Fellowships) to continue my studies on human genetics at the University of California, San Francisco, where I gained valuable experience establishing a first generation Human Genome Centre and leading my first independent research group. In 1992 I returned to Oxford University to take up a Senior Fellowship (European Community Human Genome Program) with Professor Tony Monaco, a leading expert in the study of complex genetic disease and now President of Tufts University, USA.

Transition to applied health research: From 1994 to 2002, I took an academic career break to raise a family. During this time, I worked as an Assistant Editor for Nature Genetics in Washington DC, which allowed me to maintain my academic interests and gain valuable experience in reviewing and scientific writing. In 1998, I returned to the UK, to Dundee, where I established and directed TayRen Tayside Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) as an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Dundee. This is where the academic focus of my career changed from laboratory science to health service research. I had carte blanche to establish the operations of TayRen; it became nationally acclaimed as the premier Scottish PCRN (SPCRN), uniquely established as a multidisciplinary network of primary care health professionals encompassing medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. Within just 2 years, from a zero baseline, the grant income (~£2m) was 10-fold higher than infrastructure awards. I was responsible for managing more than 40 research projects and providing expert methodological support for local and national research. TayRen evolved into SPCRN East node and remains a leading Scottish PCRN. There are parallels here to what DenTCRU has required in terms of having the vision to initiate a new research infrastructure programme that delivers success, can accommodate rapid growth of business and ensure it is underpinned with a sound business model.

Multidisciplinary Applied Health Research and Clinical Trials: I relocated to Manchester in 2000, in 2001 I suffered a child bereavement; this had an inevitable impact. In 2002 I resumed my career part-time at the University of Manchester; firstly as EU Project Coordinator working with Prof Keith Horner on Guidelines for Dental radiography and then as a Research Fellow / Project coordinator for an EU project OSTEODENT. I progressed rapidly to Senior Research Fellow and was responsible for co-ordinating a series of Cochrane Systematic Reviews on Oral Cancer. My passion remained however in innovative primary research rather than research synthesis. In 2007 I purposefully left Manchester to gain clinical trial experience with the intention to return to address the paucity of provision of Clinical Trial leadership in Greater Manchester outside of the Christie. I took an appointment as Senior Lecturer at the Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), University of Leeds the second largest CTU in the UK. My role was to provide strategic direction for the CTRU expansion into new clinical areas. I established the new Comprehensive Health Research Division and as Division Director I led and forged strategic partnerships to deliver clinical trials in new disciplines (Musculoskeletal and Oral Health/dentistry) and expand others (Cardiovascular research). I also worked across Divisions as the acting-lead for the delivery of the Colorectal and Other Cancers Portfolio in the Cancer Division. My impact was recognised and I was promoted to Reader in Clinical Trials and Translational Research. My effective transformational leadership approach built new multi-disciplinary research partnerships between health professionals, developing methodologically robust research projects tailored to NHS priorities and geared to maximise patient benefit. Building on the existing CTRU infrastructure and processes I successfully established a robust, research active, vibrant new division of clinical trials; within 3 years the income generation was ~ £9m of new research partnerships for the CTRU and university.

Applied Health and Translational Research: In 2010, the Faculty of Medicine and Health created a new post at the Leeds Institute of Health Science to enable a strategic expansion of applied health research and translational medicine. In November 2010, I was appointed to this permanent post of Reader in Applied Health Research. The post has enabled an opportunity to work with colleagues upstream of clinical trials where there are specific challenges suited to the deployment of my translational scientist expertise. This expertise encapsulates study design / applied health research methodology, clinical trial execution, clinical governance knowledge, patient public involvement, interdisciplinary multi-centre project management skills and importantly academic grantmanship. The latter involves developing and translating fine-tuned research questions that address an important, unmet health need into a high quality, methodologically robust and fundable grant application, with optimised design and ensuring deliverability within budget. Collectively these skills are necessary to deliver innovative collaborative cross faculty / institution research tailored to NHS service delivery and patient benefit. The focus is to conduct evaluative clinical studies of diagnostic tests, drug repurposing as well as, ‘pull through’ research from basic sciences including biomarkers development to ensure clinical utility and successful NHS implementation.

With my skills as a translational scientist I am regarded as an interdisciplinary research leader and enabler, building highly effective innovative multidisciplinary, cross faculty research teams spanning academic and NHS institutes to develop high quality successful grants that deliver large scale projects and facilitate the realisation of the University of Leeds strategic plan in establishing our university as world-class centre for applied health and translational research. To this end since Nov 2007 I have brought my translational scientist and applied health methodological expertise together with considerable knowledge of the NIHR grant system (Board Member of NIHR EME Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation; Panel Member NIHR Fellowship Program) to deliver a grant income IRO £31.6M with 42 successful applications (~65% success rate significantly above the national average of <20% reported across NIHR). This includes 16 large NIHR awards and notably the landmark MS-SMART trial stemming from my National Leadership of the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Clinical Trials Network (MSS-CTN): a translational pull though repurposing multi-arm drug trial of three putative neuroprotective drugs designed to tackle Secondary Progressive MS. I am passionate about mentoring and have a strong drive to encourage and stimulate junior colleagues. I have supported more than 79 personal fellowship applications in the Faculty; 84% success rate to interview and 53% award success rate (considerably higher than the national average ~16%) - an excellent approach to nurture talent and capacity build.

NIHR Faculty: I have a strong standing with the NIHR and seved for seven years on the MRC NIHR Efficacy  & Mechanistic Evalaution (EME) Board and on their Sub Board Panel for Remit.  I have presented at the MRC NIHR EME Strategy &Research Board Away Days.Prof Tom Walley,  when he was Director of NIHR invited me to join the NIHR Clinical Trials Unit Standing Advisory Board (CTU SAC).  I am the UK Deputy Specialty lead for the Oral & Dental Health NIHR Clinical Research Network. In this capacity I established the first clinical studies group/consortium endorsed by the British Society of Oral & Dental Research - PROSpECT Periodontal Research On Multi-morbidity and Systemic Health CSG and Consortium. I also served as Deputy Chair of the NIHR Academy Research Methods Fellowships Expert Panel.

I was the founding Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis Society's  Clinical Trials Network (MSS-CTN)  established in 2008. I served until 2018 as their Chair and delivered a  paradigm shift in ambition & delivery of their clincai trials research programme This was achieved through forging a strong alliance between the charity and the NIHR to create a step-change in co-funding for large scale  multi-million MS clinical trials. I was honoured as a Scientific Ambassador for the Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2015 and as Inspiration of the Year 2018 for leadership of the MS Society’s Clinical Trials Network.

 International standing: I am an internationally recognised leader in delivering innovative patient-centric trials with effective patient public involvement. My leadership of MSS CTN is internationally recognised as creating a paradigm shift in bringing repurposed drugs to evaluation as putative neuro-protective agents and have brought the processes of drug repurposing to Parliamentary debate. I was the academic lead for European Patient Academy for Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI)-UK National Liaison Team, a novel partnership between patient organisations, industry and academia to advance capacity and capability for patients involved in medicines R&D.

My approach to leadership of DenTCRU has been to take a similar dynamic and energetic approach like I have successfully deployed throughout my career. I have a clear vision and strong strategy with short, medium and long term goals. This has proven to a successful foundation that is attracting interest from the Chief Dental Officer who is wanting to take initiatives started in Leeds to a National level of roll out to proactively develop a dental research portfolio of multidisciplinary applied health and translational research. Under my leadership DenTCRU is expanding its regional influence and delivering clinical trials in line with the University’s strategy addressing the unmet health needs of its local community with the ambition to enhance NHS treatments and care, the lives of the local community, and have the global impact commensurate with The University of Leeds world-leading status.

2014–Present    Chair in Translational & Applied Health Research, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds

2014-Present     Director Dental Translational & Clinical Research Unit, [Part of Leeds NIHR CRF (Clinical Research Facility)],University of Leeds.

2010 –2014       Reader in Applied Health Science, Deputy Lead for Research, Leeds Institute of Health Science, UoL

2007 – 2010      Reader / Senior Lecturer in Clinical Trials Research & Division Director Clinical Trials Research Unit, UoL

2002- 2007        Cochrane Senior Research Fellow/EU Project Manager School of Dentistry, University of Manchester

1994-2002  FORMAL ACADEMIC CAREER BREAK (Maternity leave & recovery from child bereavement)

                          2000-2002            Maternity Leave / Recovered from child bereavement)

                          1998 – 2000          Founding Director of TayRen - Tayside Primary Care Research Network, Honorary Lecturer, Tayside Centre for General                                                                             Practice, University of Dundee, Tayside  University Hospital Trust, University of Dundee

                         1997 – 1998          Maternity Leave – Self employed

1995 – 1997          Assistant /Sub Editor Nature Genetics, National Press Building, Washington DC USA

1994 – 1995          Maternity Leave – Self employed

1992 – 1994      Senior Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Inst Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford.

1991 – 1992      Principal Investigator Assistant Professor, Human Genome Mapping Centre, University California San Francisco, USA

1989 – 1991      Senior Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University California San Francisco, USA

1986 – 1989        Post Doctoral Research Fellow, (Profs Sheer & Sir Walter Bodmer), Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK

Responsibilities

• Director of DenTCRU [Dental Translational and Clinical Research Unit
• Division Head: Division of Applied Health & Clinical Translation
• National Institute of Health Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) National Speciality Lead

Research interests

• Efficient Clincial Trial Design to evaluate efficacy, effectiveness and mechanism of action 
• Patient Public Involvement and Engagement - patient centred research to improve patient outcomes and NHS care
• Translational Research - Oral & Dental Health
• Repurposed drugs to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis
• Tackling multimorbidity - The role for dental health professionals in treating oral health problems to improve general health
• The role of the oral microbiome and inflammation in specific diseases (the relationship of oral health and systemic health)
• Improving patient outcomes in  patients with trigeminal neuralgia  with/ without Multiple Sclerosis   
• Improving antimicrobial stewardship to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Sue's research interests are in Applied Health Research designed to improve NHS treatment and care for patients. She has a particular interest around translational 'pull-through' research-where new innovations being developed in the laboratory can be brought through to successful clinical application. In this capacity she forges multi-disciplinary research partnerships between clinicians, academics, industry and patients; developing methodological robust projects with research questions tailored to NHS priorities and with Patient Public Involvement (PPI) to ensure that patient benefit of the research is maximised. She works closely with engineers and scientists to bring applications through to a range of clinical settings, notably surgery, biomarker application, cancer diagnostics, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and oral health.
Sue maintains an interest in clinical trial/clinical study methodology and is particular interested in how patients and the public interface with new technologies. She has been actively engaged in patient public involvement (PPI) for over 30 years and notably how research teams can work in effective partnership with patients and the public throughout the research cycle to ensure that the resultant research informs an evidence-based approach to clinical decision making but also answer the dilemmas that patients face when choosing a new treatment regime.

Qualifications

• PhD Colorectal Cancer Molecular Genetics
• BSc Genetics University of York, UK.

Professional memberships

• Member of the IADR - International Association for Dental Research
• Member of the EU Forum for Good Clinical Practice
• Member of the NIHR Faculty (NIHR Investigator)
• Research Ambassador Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Member of European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation
• Member British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Student education

In the School of Dentistry I contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching of applied health research methodology. I am an undergraduate personal tutor to 10 tutees. My main focus remain in contribution to post graduate teaching, coaching & mentoring.

1.  have contributed to the graduate teaching and continued professional development within the Faculty. To this aim I contributed to the MSc post graduate teaching within the School of Dentistry for the Research Methods & Ethics Module providing lectures on applied health methodology and explaining the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches providing illustration from my research portfolio demonstrating the principles of research-led teaching.
2. I am a core member of the new Oral Science Translational Research MSc module that is being targeted to increase out international students. DenTCRU Facility will also support hosting the new MSc Clin Dent.
3. I have 10 undergraduate personal tutees that I mentor.
4. I contribute to the Year 5 undergraduate Final Year projects and in 2016-17 I supervised six students who went onto win the School of Dentistry prize for their projects having the most NHS Impact

The 2017/18 Cohort of Undergraduate Open Wide student outreach that have been working with RAISED in Yorkshire (Esme Grange & Lisa Mercer) final projecta were finalists for best poster at the British Society of Paediatrics and have been ‘especially commended for their activity’ (Sept 2018).

1. In 2017 I received nominations for the University of Leeds Partnership Awards for ‘Personal Tutor’ and ‘Positive Impact’.
2. I am the Academic Lead for the “Engagement Excellence Scheme” open University-wide for an intensive 12 month bespoke small tutorial style teaching scheme. This is the catalyst for the University of Leeds to grow its Public Engagement with Research profile and several of the candidates have gone onto to be shortlisted for the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement finalists.

This provides an enhanced experience for those participating and they build back into strategic knowledge transfer and capacity building, contributing to Be Curious and other public facing programmes that enhance their experience and widening community participation with the University.

1. I do play a significant role in continued professional development, specifically around providing academic grantmanship & fellowship training of senior colleagues in applying for National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) , MRC and Wellcome funding. This amounts to a significant workload predominantly on a one-to-one basis and with provision of additional workshop training.  Specifically I provide a bespoke combination of training, coaching and mentoring to support high calibre grant and fellowship applications. This activity overlaps with research activity but nonetheless there is significant knowledge transfer in the academic grantmanship that I provide that allows classification as a teaching activity according to local Faculty benchmarks. Specifically, applicants are taught how to:
   1. evolve their good research ideas into relevant, meaningful and answerable research questions with a competitive edge for successful funding;
   2. design a tailored evaluative clinical studies aimed to deliver enhanced patient benefit and NHS care - focusing on clear aims and objectives, robust methodology, appropriate analysis plan and value for money budgets;
   3. assemble multidisciplinary teams including meaningful and effective patient public involvement;
   4. consider potential impact opportunities;
   5. bring all the components and sections of the application together into a robust well designed, high quality well written competitive application to secure successful funding.

In summary, I have played an effective role in ‘teaching the teachers’ i.e. working closely with senior academics and clinicians teaching them in how to repackage their research ideas into significant research questions with a competitive edge for successful funding; thereby contributing to translational research and evidenced-based medicine and dentistry.

In addition, I provide a tailored programme to researchers who are pre-doctoral, post-doctoral/MD, clinician scientists and allied health professionals to support applications to the NIHR (MRC and Wellcome) fellowship schemes - ‘building tomorrow’s academic leaders’. This involves bespoke teaching, assisting in the writing and review of their fellowships, preparation of accurate costings, advising on development of a suitable training course over several one-to-one meetings. When fellowship applicant are shortlisted I arrange peer groups support to build confidence in how to tackle presenting the science of their application to the fellowship committee, providing extensive preparation for the interview, review of slides and assembling senior colleagues to provide a (gruelling) mock interview. Fellowship applicants often work closely with me for typically 9 months and some longer if aspects of their CVs need to be strategically strengthened. Applicants are signposted as required to further SDDU support and also I facilitate access to other senior colleagues for specific skills and knowledge transfer opportunities. I keep a repository of successful fellowships for further teaching and knowledge transfer resources.

1. Examples of contributing to the sustainability and effectiveness of education are illustrated from preparing high quality educational training materials that have been used by junior colleagues at the Clinical Trials Research Unit in delivering an MSc Module on Research Methodology and the Research Design Service for Yorkshire and the Humber. For example, ‘How to Write a Successful Grant Application’, ‘Common Pitfalls in applying for Research Funding’  and ‘Guide to Preparing & Writing a Successful Fellowship Application’. The power point presentations are used across the UK Research & Design service. These documents have been widely disseminated within both the University of Leeds, Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust and West Yorkshire & Humber Research Design Service and more recently the early career development activities of the British Oral & Dental Research.
2. Examples of integration or research and learning and teaching responsibilities. The Cohesion Pilot: [Collaborative Hub 4 Engagement across arts and Science to aid Impact and Dissemination] is an innovation that has created a new opportunity bringing together for the first time post graduate dental students (targeting those with, or applying for NIHR Fellowships) to work alongside. Patients affected by oral health, undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Faculty of Art, School of Performance and Cultural Industries and a professional script writer and the artistic theatre director from Theatre of Debate. The theatre piece was produced through co-production and “Don’t Smile” has provided a unique opportunity to create theatre at Leeds about oral and dental health for public consumption – described as “a love story with a dental theme”

 The students selected to work with Theatre of Debate have experienced how theatre practitioners, patients, clinicians, and scientists can collaborate to disseminate oral health knowledge and research findings. The approach won the 2016 National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement national prize for engagement with young people. It provides a wealth of experience of how to disseminate research to patients and the wider public.

This work has been a catalyst to the RAISED in Yorkshire programme that is now creating an enhance student experience to undergraduates Open Wide out-reach programme, PG students and staff alike and is destined to reach new impact as the TES have invited a submission on the project and its impact on local schools in Batley, West Yorkshire and area of high deprivation and high BME ethnicity.

Completed University of Leeds PhD Students:

• 2014 Julia Csikar (Dentistry)Comparing smoking cessation services in Bradford & Airedale Gail Douglas,  Claire Hulme & Sue Pavitt.
• 2016 Andrew Keeling (Dentistry)Determination of the Transverse Horizontal Axis and Interocclusal Registration Using a Novel Optical Technique. David Wood, Ray Holt, Paul Franklin, Paul Brunton & Sue Pavitt Digital Dentistry
• 2016 David Keane (Medicine) Characterising fluid status, distribution and dynamics in haemodialysis patients to improve fluid management strategies. [NIHR Doctoral Fellowship 2013-2016. Characterising body fluid distributions and dynamics in the haemodialysis population to develop improved, bioimpedance guided fluid management strategies. Laura Treadgold, David Buckley, Elizabeth Lindley & Sue Pavitt
• 2017 Jenifer Barrie (Engineering) (Linked to ROLARR Trial) Next generation of atraumatic laparoscopic instruments through analysis of the instrument-tissue interface. Anne Neville (Lead Supervisor,Engineering) Dr Peter Culmer, Dr David Jayne, Prof Sue Pavitt/
• 2017 John Gierula (Medicine)Optimisation of Pacemaker Therapy for Cardiac Function. [NIHR Doctoral Fellowship  Defining the optimal heart rate range in patients with chronic heart failure – a new paradigm in personalisation of pacemaker programming. Dr Klaus Witte (Lead Supervisor,Cardiology), Prof Mark Kearney, Prof Sue Pavitt

Current PhD Students Supervising:

• 2014 –Present Nuria Navarro Coy (Medicine Part time) Are randomised controlled trials of biologic therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis generalizable to the broader NHS population? Improving patient outcomes by using real-life data from registries to develop novel approaches to inform clinical practice. Dr Maya Buch (Lead Supervisor, MSK), Prof Robert West (LIHS) Kimme Hyrich & Sue Pavitt
• 2015 Sophy Barber (Dentistry Part time) –[NIHR Doctoral Fellowship] Determining adolescent patient and parent priorities in decision-making for  treatment of hypodontia Prof Sue Pavitt (Lead supervisor), Prof Hilary Bekker, Dr David Meads & Prof Balvinder Khambay **UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS POST GRADUATE STUDENT OF THE YEAR**
• 2015 Wendy Thompson (Dentistry Part time) Enabling antimicrobial prescribing reduction during urgent primary dental care in England: Developing a complex intervention for behaviour change of professionals and patients. [Short Title: APTiTUDE – Antimicrobial Prescribing: Towards a reducTion Urgent Dental care in England.] Gail Douglas, Jon Sandoe, Rosie McEachan & Sue Pavitt.[ Awarded University of Leeds 110 Anniversary Scholarship(UoLARS) 2015. NIHR Doctoral Fellowship].
• 2017 Scott Smith (Dentistry) Investigating the causal relationship between central obesity and tooth loss in adults with normal/overweight body mass index. University of Leeds PhD Scholarship Dr Jianhua Wu, Dr Jing Kang, Prof Sue Pavitt.
• 2018 Kate Kenny (Dentistry) Improving patient dental trauma injury management - development of a minimum dataset for consistent recording of treatment outcomes in traumatic dental injuries and planning implementation for wide NHS adoption. (OPTIMuM: improving Patient Trauma Injury treatment Management) Dr Peter Day,  Prof Robbie Foy & Prof Sue Pavitt

Current PhD opportunities:

Multiple sclerosis elucidating the relationship of oral health–microbiome – inflammation during relapse

Disease trajectories and healthcare burden of periodontal disease

Current postgraduate researchers

• Jack Jonathon-Paul Lynch, BSc (Hons), MSc (Res)